Nigeria is blessed with an extraordinary wealth of biodiversity. From sprawling savannas and montane forests to freshwater wetlands, rainforests, and coastal ecosystems, the country is home to nearly 8,000 plant species and more than 22,000 animal species. This rich natural heritage places Nigeria among Africa’s most biodiverse nations and ranks it among the world’s leading countries for biodiversity richness.
Yet this remarkable natural wealth is under increasing threat. Habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, invasive species, and unsustainable exploitation of wildlife continue to erode the ecosystems that support both people and nature. Nigeria has already lost more than 90 percent of its original forest cover, while illegal wildlife hunting and trafficking continue to place immense pressure on vulnerable species and habitats.
It was against this backdrop that the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) marked World Biodiversity Day 2026, using the global observance not only as a moment of reflection but as a platform to advocate for urgent action to protect Nigeria’s biodiversity.
Turning Global Commitments into Local Action
In a press statement issued to commemorate the day, NCF called on government, businesses, communities, and citizens to translate global biodiversity commitments into meaningful local action.
A central focus of the Foundation’s advocacy was Nigeria’s revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), the country’s roadmap for implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and halting biodiversity loss by 2030.
Speaking on the urgency of the situation, the Director General of NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, noted: “Biodiversity loss is not an abstract global problem. It is happening in our forests, wetlands, and communities, and it affects food security, water, health, and livelihoods. World Biodiversity Day 2026 is a reminder that global targets are only achieved when local actors take responsibility. The Kunming–Montreal Framework gives us the roadmap. The NBSAP gives us the plan. What we need now is execution at the local level, where ecosystems are managed and communities live.”
NCF also called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to sign the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill into law. The legislation is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to combat wildlife crimes, regulate wildlife trade, and provide stronger legal protection for threatened species.
The Foundation further urged government at all levels to adequately fund and implement NBSAP targets, strengthen enforcement of existing wildlife laws, and integrate biodiversity considerations into national and sub-national development planning.
Taking the Biodiversity Conversation to Millions of Nigerians
Advocacy alone is not enough. Conservation outcomes depend on public understanding, support, and participation. Recognizing this, NCF amplified its World Biodiversity Day messages through an extensive media engagement campaign designed to bring biodiversity issues into mainstream national discourse.
The Foundation’s biodiversity expert, Dr. Stella Egbe, participated in interviews and discussions across major national media platforms, including Channels Television, Arise News, AIT, and Nigeria Info. These engagements provided opportunities to reach millions of Nigerians with critical messages about biodiversity conservation, wildlife protection, and environmental stewardship.
Particular attention was given to the growing challenge of wildlife trafficking and the normalization of indiscriminate hunting through social media platforms and informal markets. NCF emphasized that biodiversity loss is not solely a conservation issue; it is also a development challenge with implications for food security, livelihoods, public health, and climate resilience.
The media engagements also highlighted the role citizens can play in protecting Nigeria’s natural heritage by supporting responsible consumption, reporting wildlife crimes, embracing eco-tourism, and rejecting content that glorifies animal cruelty, illegal hunting, or wildlife exploitation.
By taking these conversations beyond conservation circles and into homes, workplaces, vehicles, and communities across the country, NCF sought to encourage behavioural change and build broader support for biodiversity protection.
When Advocacy Meets Conservation
While World Biodiversity Day provided an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for policy action, encouraging developments from the field demonstrated why these efforts matter. At Omo Forest Reserve, one of Nigeria’s most important biodiversity strongholds, forest elephants were recently sighted through ongoing monitoring activities.
The sighting is more than a conservation milestone. It serves as evidence that sustained investment in habitat protection, community engagement, scientific monitoring, and collaborative conservation can yield tangible results.
For years, NCF has worked alongside government agencies, local communities, and conservation partners to protect Omo Forest Reserve and safeguard the species that depend on it. The presence of forest elephants in the landscape underscores the importance of maintaining and strengthening these efforts. It also offers a powerful reminder of what stands to be lost if biodiversity decline continues unchecked and what can still be protected through collective action.
A Shared Responsibility
The theme of World Biodiversity Day 2026, Acting Locally for Global Impact, reinforced a simple but important truth: protecting biodiversity requires action at every level.
Governments must strengthen policies and enforcement. Businesses must adopt biodiversity-positive practices. Communities must continue to serve as custodians of critical ecosystems. Citizens must make choices that support, rather than undermine, nature.
For NCF, World Biodiversity Day was not merely a celebration. It was an opportunity to advocate, educate, and demonstrate that conservation works.
From calling for stronger wildlife protection laws and amplifying biodiversity issues through national media engagement to documenting encouraging signs of wildlife recovery in Omo Forest Reserve, the Foundation continues to champion a future where people and nature can thrive together.
Because protecting biodiversity is not only about saving species. It is about safeguarding the natural systems that sustain our economy, our health, our livelihoods, and our future.
